Usually, however, it is done about the time first mentioned and this ceremony is the same whether the child be male or female. Some medicine man generally makes the name, and sends word to the parents that on a certain day he will bestow it on the child. When the time has come a dog is killed and cooked or some other good dish is provided, and invitations are sent to some 20 or 30 of their friends and relatives to attend. When they are assembled the priest makes known to them the object of the meeting in a suitable speech to the supernatural powers, but principally to the tutelaries of departed grandfathers and grandmothers, invoking them to take the child under their protection, concluding with the name of the child distinctly spoken in a loud voice so that all can hear it. The feast is then divided, small portions thrown away for the dead and the rest eaten. A horse in the meantime is tied outside as a present to the medicine man for his services. He leads the horse around the camp, singing in a loud voice the child’s name and those of its parents. If the child be a male this name is borne until he kills or strikes his first enemy on their own (the enemy’s) land. On his return after accomplishing this, he blackens his face and that of his relatives as a token of his triumph. Some one of the medicine men who are always on the lookout for advantage blackens himself and gives a new name to the warrior by crying it out loudly through the camp, stating the change of name has been given in consequence of his great bravery in killing his enemies.
A horse is again given the priest and the second name is attached. This name lasts until by repeated successes at war he becomes entitled to the name of his father, if the parent be dead; if living, that of his grandfather is bestowed, during a ceremony of the same kind as has been related. But this name is never given without sufficient merit on the part of the warrior. It is the highest honor that could be bestowed, is never afterwards changed, and he ranks immediately as a councillor and brave. The foregoing will account for both the plurality of names among them and the manner in which the original family name and line of descent is preserved.
The names of females are not often changed, though some have two, one affixed at the first ceremony and the other originating in some marked feature, or personal appearance unusual among them, such as fair hair, gray eyes, etc., and sometimes from any deformity, as lameness, loss of an eye, teeth, etc. Generally, however, they have but one. The names given to children are not taken from the incidents of dreams or deemed sacred, but are the manufacture of the priest according to his fancy. He endeavors to make one to please the parents in order to secure the gift of the horse. This name is told them secretly by him and if acceptable is adopted; if not, they suggest another in its place to him.
The children and boys call each other familiarly by these names as in civilized life, and when grown continue to do so, unless of kin, when the degree of relationship is mentioned instead of the name.
Herewith is a list of names, male and female. Of the warriors several have two, but only one, the leader of the party here at the time, had three. Their names were taken down for insertion in this place. Those of the women I had of a warrior present, and those of the chiefs and soldiers I have known for years, some of whom having two or three names.
ASSINIBOIN NAMES
Partisan, “The Back of Thunder,” Ya-pa-ta Wak-keum
| Names of 27 Assiniboin Warriors at Fort Union, December, 1853 | |
|---|---|
| Interpreted name. | Indian name. |
| The Black Horn | Hai-sap Sap-pah. |
| He Who Comes Laden | Kee-hee-nah. |
| The War Club of Thunder | Ya-chunk-pe Wah-ke-un. |
| Boiling | Pe-gah. |
| The Backbone of Wolf | Shunk-chan-ca-hoo. |
| The Four War Eagles | Wah-min-de To-pah. |
| The Winner | O-he-an-ah. |
| The Standing Bear | Wah-bo-san-dah. |
| The Crow | Conghai. |
| The Little Rocky Mountains | Ean-hhai-nah. |
| The White Crow | Conghai-ska. |
| He Who Sounds the Ground | Muk-kah-na-boo-boo. |
| The Bear’s Child | Wah-ghan-seecha Och-she. |
| The Iron Boy | Muzza Och-she. |
| The Sound of Thunder | Hhom-bo-oah Wah-ke-un. |
| The Grey Bull | Ya-tunga-hho-tah. |
| He Who Deceives Calves | Chin-chah-nah Ke-ni-ah. |
| The Dry Sinews | Kun-sha-chah. |
| The Calf with Handsome Hair | Chin-chah-nah He-wash-tai. |
| The Bull’s Face | Etai-tah Tun-gah. |
| The Wolverine | Me-nazh-zhah. |
| The Two-horned Antelope | Yah-to-kah-hhai noom-pah. |
| The Large Owl | He-hun Tungah. |
| The Large War Eagle | Wam-min-de Tun-gah. |
| The Child of Two Bears | Wah-ghan-see-cha noompa och-she. |
| Le Pene Rouge | Chai-shah. |
| Names of 12 Camp Soldiers | |
| He Who Wishes to Bring Them | Ekando He chin-ah. |
| The Red Bull | Tah-tungah Du-tah. |
| The Bad Bull | Tah-tungah Shee-chah. |
| The Red Snow | Wah Du-tah. |
| The Blue Thunder | Wah-ke Un-to. |
| The Emptying Horn | O-canah-hhai. |
| The Standing Water | Minne Naz-zhe. |
| The Rose Bud Eater | We-ze-zeet-ka Utah. |
| The Boy of Smoke | Sho-to-zshu Och-she. |
| The Spotted Horn | Hai-kan-dai Kan-dai-ghah. |
| Shot in the Face | Etai-o-ke Nun-ei-a. |
| Bear’s Face | Etai Wah-ghan. |
| Names of Some Chiefs, Occasional Leaders of Bands | |
| The White Head | Pah ska-nah. |
| The Grey Eyes | Esh-tai-o Ghe-nah. |
| The Pouderie | Hee-boom An-doo. |
| The Tourbillon | Ah-wah minne o minne. |
| The Little Thunder | Wah-kee-e-nah. |
| The Knife | Menah. |
| Hair Tied Up in Front | Pai-pach Kich-tah. |
| He Who Wounds Dogs | Shunga Ou-nah. |
| The Claws | Shak-kai-nah. |
| The Great Traveler | Ca-wai-ghai Man-ne. |
| He Who is Above the Others | Wa-caun-too. |
| The Marksman | Coo-tai-nah. |
| Names of 20 Young Assiniboin Women | |
| The Spotted Woman | Kan-dai-ghah We-yah. |
| The One Leg | Hoo wash e nah. |
| The Big Horn Woman | Hai-kees-kah We-yah. |
| The Glittering Lodge | Te Owah Ho-wat-tah. |
| The Four Thunders | Wah-ke-un Topa. |
| The Four Women | Topa Weyah. |
| The Season Maker | Man-ka-cha Ca-ghah. |
| The Lodge on Fire Woman | Te-ien da weyah. |
| She Who Makes the Clouds | Moh pe ah caghah. |
| The Door Scratcher | Te opah u-cai-ghah. |
| The Wing Bone | Hoo pah hoo. |
| The Crow’s Cawing | Coughai a-hho-ton. |
| The Head Made White | Pah-kah shah-nah. |
| The Curled Hair | Pah-hah e-u-me-ne. |
| The Hawk Woman | Chai-tun We-yah. |
| The Red Chief | Hoon yuh shah. |
| The Mane of the Flying Eagle | Ap-pai Wam-min-de E-i-ah. |
| The Yellow Bear | Wah-ghan She-chah-ze. |
| The Iron Body | Chu-we Muz-zah. |
| The Fair-skinned Woman | We-yah Skah. |
Children
